


I'll Be There For You

by FrickingKaos



Category: Backstreet Boys
Genre: Best Friends, Bromance, Las Vegas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 01:49:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10548002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrickingKaos/pseuds/FrickingKaos
Summary: I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to pourI'll be there for you, like I've been there beforeI'll be there for you, cause you're there for me too...





	

Vegas was finally happening. The other guys and I were fucking ecstatic to finally do this, something that had been tossed around for years finally came into fruition. Of course, Brian had been really into the idea and with good reason…we kind of wanted a break from touring and wanted to do something different for a change. 

Years ago, we toured and toured and toured for years and months at a time with no break. We would catch naps on the floor or anywhere we could lean on for a quick rest. Getting sick didn't mean anything. I worked through flus and colds, chills and stomach viruses. I sometimes wondered how the hell I was even alive with all the shit we did as kids. We were adults now. We had our own label and more freedom than we ever had before. So Vegas came at a great time. I was excited to do it. Excited to spend time with the guys and be in one place. Especially Brian. He'd been telling me all these plans for what he and I would do after the shows, and I couldn't wait. We'd finally get to spend some time together outside of work. 

Brian couldn't really hide his excitement either, but when our management came up with the after parties...the smile slid right off of his face. 

“Why can't we just do them once in a while, does it have to be every show?” he asked. I hugged him gently and shrugged. 

“The fans want it.” was the answer he got from management and from anyone else he asked. We rehearsed and practiced hard every day, long hours until we were so tired that we could no longer move. We would often go home and go straight to bed, laying next to each other and thinking about how good it would turn out. I know he was nervous. His voice was riding on everything and I had been trying to be supportive, trying to keep him positive even when he felt like giving up. I was a cheerleader for him. His voice got stronger every day. It really showed on the European Cruise…after our acoustic set I had told him how proud I was, and he smiled for the first time I'd seen him in a long time. A genuine smile. That's all I wanted, was for him to be happy again, to love performing again. It's hard when the world looks to you and you feel like you failed them. He never flat out told me, but I knew every time his voice cracked he could see people's expressions. He saw what fans were saying. There were so many times when he lost confidence in himself but I was there. 

“You're deep in thought. You okay?” he asked me in our dressing room right before our first show. I was just as nervous as he was… but I was better at hiding it. 

“Just nervous about tonight.” I admitted. He gave me a funny look and chuckled.

“I know what you mean. I don't want to mess it up. We've been working so hard. Everyone is really counting on me.” 

“Bri, you are gonna knock em dead out there. I told you. You sound amazing- and if they don't think so, they're idiots.”

He smiled and pretended to hit my arm with his jacket, then put it on and smoothed it out.  
“You're biased.”

“I mean it.” I grinned back at him. I really did mean it, but he would never believe me. Brian always acted super confident but he had anxiety about performing and I think it affected his voice just as much as being ill. I made sure every chance I got to let him know he was doing good. When the crowd would get super hyped up as he was singing a solo, they had no idea but it boosted him so much. He would feel so much better about what he was doing. He never told me any of this but I knew because it did it for me too. The crowd plays a big part in our performances. If they feel good so do we. That's why sometimes… I will just stop and smile as they scream, the sound is unlike anything I've ever experienced in my life. It makes me feel good about the hours we spend in rehearsal, the lost sleep and the time away from friends and family. It makes it all worth it to see the pure joy on our fans faces.

The show was pretty amazing. As we were lowered down to the stage I felt my heart race. It was finally happening. I stole a glance at Brian, he was smiling. A true, genuine smile that I hadn't seen in a while. A smile that felt confident. 

He blew me away that night. 

“I'm proud of you,” I whispered as the pink confetti rained down on us. I embraced him and we held hands high in the air, bowing to a cheering crowd. Brian had tears in his eyes and couldn't hide his smile. Backstage we all congratulated each other, and he was quiet.

“What's wrong?” I asked him, noticing his expression. He seemed stunned. 

“That went a lot better than I thought it would.”

“Michael Jordan is back.” I whispered. He smiled again and took my hand, squeezing it gently. I smiled back. 

“Thank you.” he mouthed before heading off to take a shower before the after party. He hadn't been planning to come but I'd talked him into it, telling him we should celebrate. He finally agreed.

I never wanted him to doubt himself again. I'd be there for him just as much as he'd been there for me….because that's what brothers do. 

We would get through it together.


End file.
